The infantry of the Eight Banners Army originally had a high rate of riding horses, and they could still ride on mules and horses no matter how hard they were.
But now it doesn't work.
There is not enough food for people to eat, so livestock such as mules and horses cannot be raised in large numbers. After all, it is okay for mules and horses to only eat grass, but it is not allowed to eat only grass and let people ride on them.
What's more, after being defeated many times before, the Eight Banners Army lost countless horses and livestock on the battlefield.
Therefore, although Mandahai's troops are the only remaining elites of the Eight Banners Army, they only have more than a thousand actual cavalry. The number of infantrymen who can ride horses (including mules) is only two thousand. This is the result of his continuous search for war horses.
, the remaining troops are all pure infantry.
Leng Saiyi took these infantrymen and quickly rushed back to the mouth of the Meihe River, deploying defenses all the time.
But this city is too crude. Although Lenseyi has more than 6,000 infantry, it has no confidence in defense. Its predecessor, Zhaosan City, was abandoned as early as the Yuan Dynasty. The Haixi Jurchen Huifa Department,
Although a walled city was built on the site, it was destroyed by Nurhaci.
Facing a ruined wall, Mandahai has only been leading his troops for a year. What can he accomplish with a shortage of manpower?
Not to mention heavy artillery, when faced with ordinary artillery, they would all be knocked down in one blow.
"Go and inquire again to see how far away those barbarians are?" Leng Saiyi ordered.
Forty miles to the northwest, a few hundred years later was Dongfeng County.
Wang Tingchen's cavalry division has a total of 13,500 people, all of whom have two horses, one of which is used to carry baggage.
After the reform of the military system of the Datong Army, a full division has 11,000 men, but the cavalry division is an exception. Because the cavalry division added tiger crouching artillery, a lot of new gunner establishments were established. In addition to military doctors and other civilian personnel, there are also
Incorporate veterinarians into the regular army, along with other auxiliary personnel.
By the way, both military doctors and veterinarians need to undergo horseback combat training at ordinary times. In critical moments, they can go out to fight on horseback.
"General, we caught a Tatar leader!" Nan Chu rode back excitedly.
This guy who married Huang Taiji's ex-wife has completely broken with the Manchus, and his name is Tatar more smoothly than anyone else.
Wang Tingchen said: "Bring it here!"
A Tatar was tied up and dragged here. He knew he was going to die, but he was very tough and struggled for a long time before he got the news.
In fact, there is no useful information. This man is from the Huifa tribe. Other tribesmen rebelled, but he was still loyal to the Manchus. After the Manchus suppressed the Huifa tribe, he was sent to manage nearby villages.
The man was holding his right palm where the finger had been cut off. He wanted to roll on the ground in pain, but was held down and unable to move. When he continued to cut off his left finger, he reluctantly said: "The prince went out with the cavalry, Beizi a few days ago
He came to recruit infantry and took away the food from the village."
Chief missionary Wang Yaochen said with a smile: "It seems that Mandahai is leading troops to rescue Sarhu. If we had arrived a few days later, we could have captured Mandahai's lair without any effort."
"Da da da da!"
More than two thousand cavalrymen rushed back. Wang Fuchen dismounted and came to Wang Tingchen: "Commander, there are not many people around here, and the Tatars have suffered a lot. When we went to the village, the locals started fighting among themselves. These Huifa tribe
Some of the tribesmen are the running dogs of the Tatars, and they usually dominate here. As soon as our army arrived, the people of the Huifa tribe started a rebellion on their own and led us to kill the running dogs of the Tatars. "
"I understand, you lead the troops to rest for a while." Wang Tingchen said.
Wang Yaochen muttered: "After destroying the Tatars, we have to break up the Jurchens who migrated to Haixi. The Huifa tribe is so withered because they refuse to accept the oppression of the Tatars.
Many of them fled to the Yehe tribe. Today, in the four Haixi tribes, the Yehe tribe is the dominant family. If they are not broken up and relocated, there will be the second Jurchen Jurchen in Jianzhou in a hundred years!"
"This is a court matter. Just report it truthfully. You and I should not interfere too much," Wang Tingchen said.
Two days later, the cavalry division arrived on the other side of the Meihei River.
The separatist base of Mandahai is at the intersection of Meihei River and Huifa River. After Wanyan Agu raised his troops, he fought with the Liao Kingdom here, which completely confirmed the saying that "the Jurchens are invincible if they are not worth ten thousand people."
myth.
Wang Tingchen used a telescope to observe the enemy city, and it was obvious to the naked eye that it was in dilapidated condition.
Wang Tingchen ordered: "Let the Ye He tribe and the Huifa tribe organize manpower to build a pontoon bridge to cross the river upstream."
As soon as the Datong army moved here, Leng Saiyi was frightened. He quietly clenched his fist and said, "Korean, take another thousand people to the ferry to stop the Nanmanzi!"
"As you command!"
Goryeo comes from the Aisin Gioro family and is the son of Nurhachi's cousin. In history, he led troops to fight Zheng Chenggong.
This man led a group of infantry to leave the city and go to reinforce his clan brother Dorji who was guarding the ferry.
Whether it is Goryeo or Dorgon, they are all bastards of the Aixinjueluo family. They are quite senior, Huang Taiji is Dorgon's brother, but they have never made great achievements. Now the Eight Banners Army is in decline, and the generals are dead.
There are many, and these miscellaneous fish have begun to unite the army.
"Is the enemy going to cross the river?" Gao Li asked.
Dorji shook his head: "We stay here, the Nanmanzi may go further upriver."
Gao Li looked carefully and saw that the Datong army was divided, and half of it went upstream of the Meihei River.
But we cannot be negligent here. Once they withdraw, the Datong Army will definitely cross the river immediately.
Gao Li said: "Those who cannot hold the river bank would be better off retreating to the city."
The Meihei River is not wide, nor is it fast. There are too many places to cross, and it is sheer nonsense to guard the river bank foolishly.
"Boom boom boom!"
The cavalry division on the other side suddenly opened fire towards this place.
Gao Li was startled and quickly ducked to avoid it.
But Dorji said: "It's a squatting tiger cannon. I saw it when we fought with the Ming army. It doesn't have much power from such a distance."
It really didn't have much power. More than a dozen tiger cannons squatted down and fired shells across the river, killing only a few unlucky ones of the Eight Banners Army.
Dorji said: "Go back and tell Beizi that if you can't hold the river bank, let him find another way. Either defend the city to the death, send out troops for a decisive battle, or withdraw the entire army to the southwest and leave the city to the Nanmanzi.
"
Goryeo left his soldiers behind and rode back to the city.
After saying this, Leng Saiyi hesitated.
With the whole army withdrawing, the best opportunity has been lost. They should have withdrawn yesterday. They have too much baggage and the Datong Army has already killed them, so it is impossible to abandon the baggage and run away.
A decisive battle outside the city?
Then there is even less confidence. A group of infantrymen came to the countryside to fight with the cavalry?
It is also not good to defend the city. When Mandahai left Hetuala, he left in a hurry and did not bring any artillery. There are no city defense artillery here, and they can only shoot with bows and arrows, but the Datong army has tiger squatting artillery.
Under normal circumstances, the Tiger Crouching Cannon has no siege ability, but in front of you is a ruined city!
Feeling very confused, Leng Saiyi said: "Let Dorji withdraw to the city."
As soon as the Tatars on the shore withdrew, the Ye He tribe and the Huifa tribe, who were Datong's servants, immediately organized people to cut down trees and build pontoon bridges.
The wheat outside the city has just been harvested and is probably piled in the city. A quick breach of the city can provide military supplies.
More than 10,000 cavalrymen marched over long distances and were eaten by horses, making it impossible to fight a protracted war.
Lensaiyi only needs to hold on for more than half a month, and Wang Tingchen's cavalry division will have to withdraw. If it continues, the army will definitely run out of supplies.
Watching the Datong army crossing the river and setting up camp, Leng Saiyi didn't even dare to go out of the city to attack. He thought he should do something.
He ordered the people around him to say: "Send an order to the whole army. Not only will they be paid for their departure, but their pay will be doubled during the period of defense. They will be able to eat as much as they want of the new grain that has just been put into the warehouse. Those who kill the enemy and make meritorious deeds will be rewarded heavily!"
The military order was passed, and the Tatar soldiers finally boosted their morale.
The Datong Army, on the other hand, continued to cut down trees to make ladders. No matter how simple the city wall was, it was difficult to destroy it with the Crouching Tiger Cannon. This time the siege had to be carried out at the risk of one's life.
A few days later, Mandahai's cavalry had not returned yet, and the Datong Army's simple siege equipment had been prepared.
"I'm afraid many people will die this time." Wang Tingchen said.
Wang Yaochen said: "The Tatars don't have many strong bones left, and every one they chew off is missing. The enemy troops in the city in front of them are the few elite Tatars.
As long as we can chew it down, the Qing Dynasty will not be far from being destroyed. Moreover, this city is dilapidated and low, so it is better to attack here than to retreat to the big city and attack it."
"Sir, I'll go up first!" Wang Fuchen said.
Wang Tingchen nodded: "Go and prepare."
The city has no moat, but is surrounded by natural rivers on both sides, so it can only be attacked from the northwest and due west.
"Boom boom boom boom!"
All the Tiger Crouching Cannons were dragged up and fired at the city wall. Although they could not destroy the city wall, they could hit the enemy on the wall with shotgun shells beyond the range of bows and arrows.
Leng Saiyi withdrew the majority of his troops to the city, leaving only a few on the city walls, and pushed the carts up to defend them.
The shelling lasted for a long time, but the effect was weak, and few Tatars were killed.
"Come on." Wang Tingchen said.
Since it is a servant army, it must have the consciousness of a servant army. The Ye He tribe and the Huifa tribe are both cannon fodder in the first round of siege.
Nan Chu drew his sword and shouted: "The warriors of the Ye He tribe must not forget the last words of their ancestors. Even if there is only one woman left in the Ye He tribe, they will destroy the Jurchens in Jianzhou. Warriors, follow me to attack the city!"
Thousands of Haixi Jurchen soldiers, carrying simple weapons and simple siege ladders, roared and rushed towards the city wall.
Leng Saiyi shouted: "Quickly defend!"
A large number of Tatar defenders, who had dodged the shells, rushed back to the city wall with weapons, and some even carried boiling oil and gold juice.
“Zizzizi…
Hot oil is poured on people's bodies, making the sound of frying squid.
The first batch of Ye He tribe and Hui Fa tribe siege soldiers collapsed and fled back in an instant, leaving only nearly a hundred corpses outside the city.
"And then on!"
Nan Chu began to organize a second wave of attacks. In order to continue the Ye He tribe, he could only let these warriors die. The greater the contribution made today, the more appreciated they will be by the Datong court in the future, so that they can survive the most difficult years.
If it had not been for the Datong Army's support of food and cotton cloth, I don't know how many people in Yehe's tribe would have died of starvation and freezing in the past two years.
After all, they had just left the Manchus and were extremely short of all supplies. They would have to rely on the support of the Datong court in the next few years.
The whole day was spent in the cannon fodder siege. As a result, more than 900 people from the Ye He tribe and the Huifa tribe were killed or injured. Among them, more than 40% were killed.
Many of the remaining 60% of the wounded suffered burns.
Their only result was that they consumed a large amount of hot oil and gold juice from the defenders.